Championship Game brings 54 new potential life-savers

Fan engagement was particularly strong at the Championship Game in Stuttgart last Sunday. Not only in the stadium, but also ahead of the MHP Arena, where 54 new registrations at the DKMS stand were recorded. During the season, the DKMS and ELF initiative brought in a total of 360 new potential stem cell donors – each representing a chance to save a life.

The European League of Football and DKMS thanks all fans who participated this season, helping to give hope to patients in urgent need of a transplant of healthy stem cells.

Campaign across the season

Earlier in the year, the league had already dedicated special matchdays to the initiative. During Week 7, three games in Germany were held under the slogan "Let's tackle blood cancer", giving fans the opportunity to register as potential stem cell donors at stadium DKMS stands. The campaign returned in Week 11 with two more games, reinforcing the league's commitment.

The initiative continues a long-standing tradition in American football of raising awareness for cancer and stem cell donation. In 2024, more than 250 fans signed up as potential donors through the ELF's partnership with DKMS, and this number was exceeded in 2025 - a remarkable success.

ELF and DKMS raise awareness for blood cancer

ELF emphasized the importance of the initiative: every 27 seconds, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer, a stem cell transplant can be the only chance of a cure if chemotherapy alone is not enough. Stem cell donations can save lives, and that's why the European League of Football in collaboration with DKMS wants to raise awareness among as many people as possible. 

"Let's tackle blood cancer together!"

Get even more information at DKMS